Deacon Joseph Blackfire has lived for far more years than any man should live. He was born centuries ago to a Hotethk Native American tribe under a blood red moon. It was seen as a sign that he would amount to become a leader of men. Blackfire became that leader time and time again, always gaining control, always to eventually lose it. Each time he lost the power, it was to the fabled King of Beasts. One century it was the man known as Walks-With-Mountain Lions. Another it was a great American hunter known as Hugo Wayne. In the 20th Century it was a vigilante known as the Batman.

Blackfire was determined to change things for the 21st Century. No longer would the power be stolen from him. Blackfire was resurrected in the 21st Century by technologies foul and unusual, futuristic yet also ancient. Devices unknown to him, buried deep beneath Gotham, worked on his body and on his soul and brought him back more powerful than before. He sought out the creator of these wonders and found the terrible Darkseid. Somehow he persuaded the god of Apokolips that his skills of manipulation and persuasion were better than Glorious Godfrey's, and that with Blackfire in his power, Darkseid could finally launch a successful invasion of Earth.

The ancient gate beneath Gotham was activated by the belief in Darkseid and in anti-life, channelled through Blackfire's soured soul. Darkseid stepped through the gate, not knowing that Blackfire was not only channelling this belief, but taking it for himself. At least half of the justifiers in Gotham are as fanatical about Blackfire as they are about Darkseid.

Blackfire stands, arms apart and legs astride the entrance to the gate. He looks like Da Vinci's diagram of a man, except his skin is charred, the Apokoliptian power coursing through his veins. He forces a smile on his face as the blue lightning runs through his body, and he finally steps free. "I am become a god, and even Darkseid will kneel before me."

The gate hums and shuts down like an old computer. The way back to Apokolips is closed.

The chant of anti-life on the surface, not that far above Blackfire's head, permeates the air. The heroes and villains around the circumference of anti-life only have one chance to disable both Blackfire and Darkseid, and that's to strike now, before the Deacon can use his new godlike ability.

Grodd just finished uploading the advanced mathematical equations into Calculator's Mother Box. The sheer complexities of Green Lantern's comrade were fascinating. Grodd lamented the fact there was not more time to study it.

"That should be it. Sorrow, prepare to teleport us as close to the source of the Anti-Life Equation as you can." Grodd turns to Calculator. "Noah, if you'd care to do the honors of activating the synthesized Life Equation?"

"With pleasure, Grodd. Anyone going to Gotham had best get in close or you'll be left behind when I teleport us out!" Sorrow called out to any hero or villain nearby who had elected to stay in Bludhaven. He then whispers to Dr. Phosphorus at his right side. "Whatever happens to us when we arrive. go kill Blackfire. I don't trust these 'heros' to do the job so I'll need you to do what's necessary. Use them as meatshields until you get a clear shot. In the meantime I'll go where I'm asked until Darkseid arrives and then I'll kill him. Understood?"

"Absolutely." The villain seems to glow a little brighter at the prospect of the intended murder. "Then we can finally get back to 'changing the world'. The sooner we leave these capes in the dust, the better I'll feel."

Dragon doesn't need to own a Justice League communication device to sense the moment - the energy in the city shifts noticeably, to those who can sense it. He is in the forefront of the rag-tag team working inside Gotham, moving towards one of the greatest dark disturbances he has ever sensed.

Kanto doesn't need to try to hide; he is shadow itself when he wants to be. The shift from anti-life to life does not bother him. All it means is a fight with more unpredictable outcome. Well, Kanto is bound to win, but how long his opponent lasts is unpredictable.

Smiling, he gently drips poison onto his handful of shurikens, and then hurls them at the group approaching the Kubrick District; one shuriken for every man.

And the third team moves in on the forces of Apokolips, preceded by twin red beams that streak through the air, changing their paths in tandem - always parallel, moving at strange angles towards one hapless parademon, where they emerge into .. jazz hands.

"Behold the Fosse Effect!"

Two stretchable digits lunge forward to follow the 'Fosse Effect' with a classic 'Moe Howard maneuver'.

Mad Harriet would be bewildered if she weren't so utterly insane. The psychotic Fury laughs as Plastic Man bounds into view, and decides to meet him head on with axes in hand. With an ear-piercing scream she leaps and on her descent attempts to cut the hero in twain.

His chest feels like it's on fire - for that matter, so does his throat - but damn, it's good to see that group that showed up to help save his ass. Coughing, a hand to the fried symbol on his breastbone, Nightwing leverages himself to his elbow and croaks, "Get him before he gets any farther from us. Dunno how long we have. I'm fine."

He is, too. Fundamentally. Just give him a minute to catch his breath.

Flamebird has a bit more time this time to charge the bola electrically before she throws it, trying to close the distance between herself and Blackfire. She doesn't want to get closer but, well, they need to stop him. Maybe, if she can get close enough, she can use her flare lenses and blind him for a bit.

Superboy's save is certainly not lost on Nightwing, neither is Phosphorous' intended deed.

"Let's get both of these jerks somewhere secure," he comments, rubbing the scorched mark on his chest. Itches. "And if anyone else out there has some thoughts about taking down Blackfire permanently, forget it. He's going to rot in jail. That's how we do things in Batman's Gotham, damn it."